It's a game that originated in the Isles of England. It was once quoted as, a ruffians game played by gentlemen.
"There you go! There you go! You got it Nizz."
It's being played here in Fresno, and has been for some time. The Fresno Rugby Club is quite good, fourth in the nation two years ago.
"Some of us treat it like a religion I'd say so."
It's a game back on the rise. It will be back in the Olympics in 2016. Back after a long long hiatus, 1924, and surprisingly the US won it last.
"When you beat yourself up...you have to have a love for it and love for the other guy."
Here at practice you'll find club members playing with college athletes and high schoolers. Men and women of all shapes and sizes.
"If someone is 6' 8" we have a use for you...they're fast? We gotta place for them."
Organizers here say you need a wide range of skills to be successful in rugby.
"A lot of endurance, speed, a lot of quickness, fitness agility."
The switch from offense to defense can happen within seconds. It's not a game that can be picked up very quickly. Between the scrums...
"Engage! scrum."
That has players in a tug of war.
The line-outs that put the ball in play. It's a game that is foreign to most in the U.S. But organizers are finding interest from athletes in other sports. Football for one.
"I think you have a lot of people who are jaded by the politics of football and soccer...those mainstream sports."
This game is huge in places like England, Figi, New Zealand, South Africa. Organizers say the U.S. would run middle-of-the-pack. But like in rugby, anything can happen.
"The U.S. has a real good shot of qualifying, because they're always hovering in top 20."
"The gold for the US would be?"
"A gold for the US would be...shocking to the world."
Regardless the U.S. Rugby will have a target on its back in 2016. Not just because we're the U.S, but because we're defending champions.
"If people took the time to watch Rugby they'd be hooked. It's got the fast pace that football has without the breaks."
TXT 24
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